Boat construction



Jan. 8, 1957 w. R.CHADWlCK BOAT CONSTRUCTION 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed March4, 1954 Willi am 1?. Chadwick IN V EN TOR.

WWW 5M Jan. 8, 1957 w. R. CHADWICK BOAT CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed March 4, 1954 William R. Chadwick INVENTOR.

BY QM United States Patent BOAT CONSTRUCTION William R. Chadwick,Standish, Calif. Application March 4, 1 954, Serial No. 414,082 6Claims. (Cl. 114-219 This invention relates to boat construction and hasfor its primary object the provision of means for absorbing the shocksusually imparted on the hull of a boat moving through the water.

When vessels such as speed boats and the like are driven through thewater at a considerable rate, because of the various swells and waveswhich the bow of the boat contacts and penetrates, various shocks ofconsiderable force are applied on the boat. The construction of thepresent invention features the utilization of a bow section which isattached by means of shock absorbers and a pivoting linkage to the hullin such manner that the shock absorbers will absorb the greatest portionof the shocks which would otherwise be imparted on the boat. By reducingthese shocks, the engines of the boat can be constructed with closertolerances and in a varyin manner to provide added power for the boat. rt 1 Incorporated in the present invention are pressurized air tanks orcells for adjusting the ballast of the bow section relative to the hullof the boat.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in theprovision of a novel boat constructionwhich is strong and durable,comparatively simple to install, which, because of the inherent buoyancyof this bow section, enables the utilization of a prow of optimumhydrodynamic configuration, and which is adapted for use with varioustypes of vessels.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of theinvention which will become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by this boat construction, a preferred embodimentof which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way ofexample only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vessel constructed in accordancewith the concepts of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a portion of the vessel with parts thereofbeing broken away to show the structure of the invention in detail;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the vessel with parts thereofbeing broken away for greater clarity;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the mounting plate which is attachedto the hull of the vessel and forms an important element of theinvention; and

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional detail view as taken along the plane ofline 66 in Figure 3 illustrating the tracks and the pair of slidesmounted thereon which are used for attaching the bow section to thehullf With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings, whereinlike reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the variousviews, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a bow constructedin accordance with the present invention, which includes a hull 12having a cockpit as at 14 or having a suitable superstructure as may bedesired. The hull 12 has attached thereto a forwardly and downwardlyextending mounting plate 16 a, 2,116,631 PatentedJan s, 1957 ice as wellas resilient bumpers 18, which are suitably secured at the forwardportion of the hull 12.

In Figure 5 there is shown with greatest clarity the construction of themounting plate 16. This mounting plate 16 is provided with aperturestherethrough as at 20 which are utilized for the reception of rivets orfasteners provided for attaching the mounting plate 16 to the hull 12.The mounting plate 16 has a guide plate 22, preferably integrally formedtherewith. The guide plate 22 is of substantially T-shape incross-section and has slidably mounted thereon a slide 24. Attached tothe slide 24 is a substantially horizontal and forwardly extendingcylindrical member 26 which forms the cylinder of a shock absorber 28 ofany convenient construction which may be in the form of a spring-typeshock absorber or may be in the form of a spring pressed dashpot type ofshock absorber. 1

The piston 30 of'the shock absorber 28 whichrrides within thecylindrical member 26 is firmly attached to a bow section 32 of thevessel 10. The mounting plate 16 has further attached thereto twodownwardly and forwardly extending cylinder housings 34 within which thepistons 36 of a pair of shock absorbers 38 seat. The pistons'36 arecarried on a pair of slides 40 which ride on tracks 42 attached to adeck 44 forming part of the bow section 3 2. As can be readily seen inFigure 6, the slides 40 are substantially C-shaped in cross section andoverlie the upper flanged portions of the substantially A-shaped tracks42 which are bolted, as at 46, or otherwise attached to the deck 44.

Forming a part of the structural facing of the bow section 32 arestructural members as at 48 which have slots 50 therein for reception ofthe slide blocks 52 carried by links "54. The links 54 are pivotallyattachedby means of a shaft 56 to the mounting plate 16, the'shaftextending through a cylindrical portion 58 welded or otherwise attachedto the guide plate 22, the cylindrical member 58 forming a stop for theslide 34.

It is to be noted that the bow section 32 has portions as at 60 whichoverlie the bumpers 18 and further has a portion 62 to which a bumper 64is attached. The bumper 64 is positioned'in opposition to the bumper 18at the upper portion of the hull 12.

In operation, when the prow 66 of the bow section 32 contacts a wave orswell while the vessel 10 is being driven, the shock imparted uponcontact with the swell will be transmitted to the shock absorbers 28 and38 by movement of the bow section 32 relative to the hull. Comparativelylittle shock will be transmitted to the hull 12, since most of the shockwill be absorbed in the springs of the shock absorbers 28 and 38 andhence the passengers in the vessel 10 will be more comfortable andengines designed for optimum performance with reduced precaution againstdamage by shock can be incorporated in the hull 12;

It is noted that various pressurized buoyant tanks 70 can be suitablyarranged in the bow section 32 for optimum performance of the bowsection 32.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A boat construction comprising a hull having a downwardly andforwardly extending mounting plate at the forward end thereof, resilientbumpers mounted on said hull, said mounting plate having a pair ofdownwardly :and forwardly extending shock absorber cylinder housingsappended thereto, a guide plate carried by said mounting plate, a slideengaging said mounting plate, a bow section overlying said bumpers ofsaid hull, a shock absorberterminally attached to said slide and saidbow section, a pair of tracks secured to said how section, a pair .ofslides mounted on said tracks, and shock absorber elements secured tosaid pair of slides and engaged in said shock absorber housings.

2. A boat construction comprising a hull having a downwardly andforwardly extending mounting plate at the forward end thereof, resilientbumpers mounted on said hull, said mounting plate having a pair ofdownwardly and forwardly extending shock absorber cylinder housingsappended thereto, a guide plate carried by said mounting plate, a slideengaging said mounting plate, a bow section overlying said bumpers ofsaid hull, a shock absorber terminally attached to said slide and saidbow section, a pair of tracks securedto said bow section, a pair ofslides mounted on said tracks, and shock absorber elements secured tosaid pair of slides andengaged in said shock absorber housings, andmeans pivotally attaching said bow section to said mounting plate.

3. A boat construction comprising a hull having a downwardly andforwardly extending mounting plate at the forward end thereof, resilientbumpers mounted on said hull, said mounting plate having a pair ofdownwardly and forwardly extending shock absorber cylinder housingsappended thereto, a guide plate carried by said mounting plate, a slideengaging said mounting plate, a bow section overlying said bumpers ofsaid hull, a shock absorber terminally attached to said slide and saidbow section, a pair of tracks secured to said bow section, a pair ofslides mounted on said tracks, and shock absorber elements secured tosaid pair of slides and engaged in said shock absorber housings, andmeans pivotally attaching said bow section to said mounting plate, saidmeans including a pair of structural members having slots therein, slideblocks engaged in said slots, links pivotally at- .tached to saidmounting plate, said slide blocks being carried by said links.

4. A boat construction comprising a hull having a mounting plateattached at the forward end thereof, resilient bumpers mounted on saidhull, a bow section. shock absorber means attaching said how section tosaid mounting plate, said bow section having parts thereof extendingrearwardly of said mounting plate and overlying said resilient bumpers,and resilient bumpers on said bow section arranged in opposition to theresilient bumpers mounted on said hull.

5. A boat construction comprising a hull having a mounting plateattached at the forward end thereof, said mounting plate extendingangularly upwardly and rearwardly, resilient bumpers on said hull, a bowsection, shock absorber means attaching said bow section to saidmounting plate, said shock absorber means including a slide movablymounted on said mounting plate.

6. A boat construction comprising a hull having a mounting plateattached at the forward end thereof, said mounting plate extendingangularly upwardly and rearwardly, resilient bumpers on said hull, a bowsection, shock absorber means attaching said bow section to saidmounting plate, said shock absorber means including a slide movablymounted on said mounting plate, said bow sections having parts thereofextending rearwardly of said mounting plate and overlying said resilientbumpers, and resilient bumpers on said bow section arranged inopposition to the resilient bumpers mounted on said hull.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS549,319 Katzin Nov. 5, 1895 991,224 Morauszky May 2, 1911 1,102,076Puskas et a1 June 30, 1914 1,130,809 Gerber Mar. 9, 1915 2,337,787Waller Dec. 28, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 451,003 Great Britain a July 28,1936

